After Sydney Sweeney’s X-rated antics, here’s what nudity is actually allowed in Euphoria

In season three episode two of Euphoria, Sydney Sweeney’s character Cassie wore even fewer clothes than usual. But how is so much nudity allowed in Euphoria? Aren’t there rules about what can and can’t be shown on TV at particular times?

Erm, isn’t there a limit on how naked people can be on TV?

Yup. So, in the new Euphoria episode, Cassie launches her OnlyFans career… and we see rather a lot of this. In one scene, Cassie’s housekeeper films her licking an ice cream in the driveway. Cassie is fully topless, with ice cream adorning her… you get the idea.  Cassie also poses by the swimming pool, draped in a soaked USA flag. The fabric is translucent enough (and the camera zooms in enough) for the viewers to see just about everything. Cassie blows bubble gum naked on the lawn, with her hands just about covering her nipples and crotch. And, of course, there’s the controversial baby dress-up scene.

This is somehow integral to the plot?!
(Image via HBO)

In the US, what’s on TV is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). For content to be categorised as “obscene”, it would need to “taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value”. Now, you might have quite a few opinions on what “literary value” there is in watching Sydney Sweeney chew gum naked. But as Euphoria is technically a piece of art, the nude scenes don’t fit the criteria for being “obscene content”.

However, Cassie’s scenes might be seen as verging on “indecent content”. The FCC defines “indecent content”  as stuff that “portrays sexual or excretory organs or activities in a way that is patently offensive but does not meet the three-prong test for obscenity”. US law prohibits “indecent and profane content” from being broadcast on TV or radio between 6am and 10pm. That’s because there’s “a reasonable risk” kids could be watching then.

Most Read

Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream BF detailed her alleged sexual misconduct before Ruby Rose’s claims

Revealed: The awful screenshot ‘receipts’ of texts Bec sent about other MAFS brides

Hailey Bieber gave an insight into her s*x life with Justin, and guys I’m actually blushing

A sneaky loophole means different rules apply to Euphoria than to other TV shows

Perhaps I should warn HR why this is saved on my work computer
(Image via HBO)

Erm, so Euphoria airs at 9pm ET on HBO in the US. That’s within the 6am to 10pm window. However, different rules apply to Euphoria than to other TV shows. People pay extra for HBO. It’s not a public over-the-air channel. Subscription services aren’t covered by the FCC’s rules in the same way that other channels are. So, characters can wear far fewer clothes at 9pm in Euphoria than they could on, say, an NBC show.

In the UK, more adult content is allowed on TV after “the watershed” at 9pm. Euphoria airs on Sky Atlantic at 2am (parallel with when it comes out in the US), then again at 10:15pm on Monday evening. That’s safely beyond the watershed.

For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.

Featured image via HBO.